The truth about sleep debt

I was reading an article the other day about coffee and how it becomes less effective over time at waking you up if you're not getting enough sleep. It also mentioned the concept of sleep debt which is the idea that every time you have a broken nights sleep, it adds up and you end up with this sleep debt that can take you several nights of good sleep to work off.

I liked the thought of this concept and as a woman who suffers badly without adequate sleep, sleep debt was the word I'd never had to explain what I experienced. Truth be told I'm a bit useless without enough sleep. My lovely other half will only be too happy to confirm this fact. I get very emotional and a bit dim and find myself overwhelmed by simple tasks. I recently did my first two waking nights since last year and I was going around in a fug for days afterward.

This weekend, I am still recovering from it. A few years back it would not be unusual to hear me say that but I have since discovered that alcohol is not always necessary to bring about hangover like symptoms. I will admit I was not exactly thrilled when I discovered this as when I took my holiday from drinking I had somehow pictured myself swanning about serenely on a Sunday while all around me others nursed hangovers. My boyfriends job often involves late nights and the sociable drinks that follow (fortunately my presence at events he organises is not always required or possible due to work, tiredness and my desire to not always be surrounded by people) so he returned home at some late hour on Friday night and it woke me but instead of going back to sleep I found myself awake and so I read a book and a half ( as you do) before falling asleep two hours later. I managed to grab a short nap the next day knowing Saturday night would be a late one.

Saturday night I managed to stay out until just after 1am. At that point my yawning was becoming too noticeable and the fear of my 7am alarm call was looming ominously. At that I didn't fall asleep until 2 and it was only a few short hours later that my other half returned and my body decided to abandon sleep. I somehow got through the day at work propelled by coffee and sugar. I was home before 7 and in bed not long after but it took hours before my body settled down to sleep going to have a restless and broken nights sleep and I found myself feeling even worse in work yesterday.

After a weekend like that you won't be surprised to hear that I fell into bed like a stone last night, asleep before 11 and an earthquake couldn't have woken me. I resisted the urge to sleep all day but returned home from town in the early afternoon to find myself totally depleted and I collapsed on the bed for an epic four hour nap. I find myself still sleepy or perhaps with some leftover sleep debt to work off. With another day off work tomorrow I am only happy to have a valid excuse for napping during the day.

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